To an extent, that eases pressure on the former Hull and St George player going into a crucial series for English rugby league.

He knows there's a good job waiting for him back in Sydney.

McNamara's RFL contract was renegotiated to become part-time at the start of 2014 when he joined the Roosters staff.

While the terms were not made public, when his position was questioned after England failed to make the 2014 Four Nations final RFL CEO Nigel Wood said the coach was "12 months into a two-year contract".

It's not the only contract that expires at the end of the coming series – England will be looking for a new title sponsor after 13 years with Gillette.

In injury news, New Zealand co-captain Adam Blair is racing the clock to be fit for the first Test after leaving Headingley on crutches last Friday with a calf injury suffered in the tour match win over Leeds.